What is Classical Charter Education?
Many classical charter schools are being birthed across the nation, giving parents choices in where, how, and what their students can learn, as well as contributing to public school reform. The goal of these schools is to provide public school students with education in the liberal arts and sciences as well as receiving training in the principles of moral character and civic virtue.
Charter schools are independently run public schools. As a result, they have more flexibility in the way they operate, but also are held more highly accountable for their performance. They are “public schools of choice”, which means they are specifically chosen by families for their children, rather than being assigned by district.
The term “charter” school is used because the schools are established on a “charter” that defines the mission of the school. This charter spells out the types of students they serve, their programming, the type of learning styles they use, and measures of performance and success. It is important that they follow through on the criteria listed in their charter as they are held accountable by state statute and local school boards. A public charter is free of cost to parents and students.
The classical liberal arts approach is teaching to the whole child with a rigorous, time-tested curriculum of humanities, ethics, civic duties and classical literature as well as a large emphasis on Latin and exposure to the arts. The three stages of Classical Education are called the Classical Trivium: Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. Each of these building blocks will help the student develop as a creative thinker, a seeker of truth and things that are beautiful and to be a virtuous, productive member of the Republic.